Last year the WEC/IMSA race was not promoted at all from what I saw, and I'm afraid it is the same this year. In 2015 I saw promotions around the North Houston area, where I live, and of course in and around Austin. I personally did not think the attendance was as bad as what everyone was posting about here that year.

I think there is a potential to get a 20 car grid for the prototype class alone at the 2018 Daytona 24. Additions coming from Penske, Joest Mazda, JDC 2, Perf Tech, BAR1, United, DragonSpeed, Rebellion. Not to mention other Euro LMP2 teams.

GTLM could get 12-15 cars depending on if Ford goes with 4 cars again, if Porsche expands their fleet, and also who knows if AF Corse and Aston Martin decides to show up in GTLM or GTD (or both). In 2016, AF and AMR entered in GTD only. Plus you got lots of the GT3/GTD entrants.

I think IMSA will be pushing a grid size similar to the 2014 race which at 67 cars I think, but with a much higher quality from top to bottom this time.

Glad to see Mid Ohio back, and just in time! I just moved to the Pittsburgh area and Mid Ohio is the closest major road race facility to me (under 3 hours). I previously lived in CT & Boston and went to numerous races at Lime Rock, last one being in 2013. I attended my first Indycar race, and first race at Mid Ohio 2 weeks ago and I was pretty impressed. Nice elevation changes and a great layout. Only downside is the catch fencing but there are some sections without it with pretty good visibility. Can't wait to see IMSA in the flesh!

It probably would require an existing race to fall off the IMSA schedule and a strong promoter in Mexico City to push a race there. The wildcard is the uncertainty surrounding the WEC and whether a race in Mexico City makes financial sense without LMP-1H cars to headline the show (presuming that Toyota goes to running part-time.)

Do remember that it is the FIA WEC. Their first priority is probably to avoid direct clashes with F1, or at least to try to avoid having a WEC and F1 race in the same region on the same weekend.

So, (up to now) you have Spa, Monza, Singapore, Suzuka, Austin, and Mexico City on the one hand. On the other you have (up to now) Mexico City, Austin, Fuji, Shanghai, and Bahrain.

There's only so many weekends in that time frame. Also, I'm guessing both series are trying NOT to have Fuji/Suzuka quite so late, because that far north, you start losing light rather earlier as you get on into later dates.

I'm not saying I like it, but the FIA might have some reasons that aren't total BS for why they do certain things.